10th April 2018 | ifa_admin

In May, the rules of the MOT test is changing, including new classifications for faults. This means if you put your car through an early MOT and it fails, you could end up with a £2,500 fine and three points on your license for driving your car after, even if the old certificate is still in date.

Previous rules had meant if you took your car for an early MOT and it failed, you could keep driving if your old MOT was still valid, providing your car was deemed roadworthy. This will no longer be the case. In fact, if you are caught for the same offence in the past three years, it would mean a ban of at least six months.

New Rules

Faults will be placed in one of three categories:

Dangerous

Major

Minor

Any dangerous faults will receive an automatic fail. If you then drive the car in this condition, this is an offense. ‘Using a vehicle in a dangerous condition’ means you are risking a £2,500 and three points on your license, and a ban for repeat offenders. This applies whether your old certificate is still valid or not.

MOT results go on the database immediately, making it very easy to check if your car is deemed ‘dangerous’.

All this means if your car does badly fail its MOT – whether your old certificate is valid or not – you really have no choice but to leave it in the garage until it is fixed.